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AFC Cup 2016

This year two Hong Kong clubs take part in the annual AFC Cup, the second highest inter-club competition among Asian football federations and quasi the equivalent to the UEFA Europe League. Recently, the champion of the Hong Kong Premier League is also allowed to participate in the Asian Champions League qualification (the highest Asian inter-club competition in which Japan, China, Korea and Australia are represented among others), but until now no Hong Kong club has succeeded to qualify. However, for next year, there is a slight chance that Hong Kong might inherit a fixed group stage spot from Vietnam. In this case, local clubs would have to give up their AFC Cup participation.

Hong Kong – Group Stage Participants – 2016:
Kitchee (Premier League Champion)
South China (AFC Cup Season Play Off Winner)

The winner and runner-up of each group will advance to the final round of 16. In 2016, the AFC Cup will follow the model of the Asian Champions League that separates East and West region until the final. The round of 16 will be only one-legged, while the following quarter and semi-finals will have both home and away fixtures.

As champion of Hong Kong’s first Premier League season Kitchee entered the second of three qualification rounds for the AFC Asian Champions League (ACL). The play-off was one-legged and hosted by the club with the FA’s higher AFC ranking.

2 Feb 2016 – Hanoi T&T (THA) 1:0 Kitchee (HKG)

If Kitchee would have won against Chonburi they would have faced Pohang Steelers (KOR) in the final qualification round, who eventually beat Hanoi 3-0 and qualified for the ACL.